Jake Elliott said nothing for a time, but after a while he ventured to ask:-- "Don't they hang fellows they ketch in that sort o' business ?" "They hang spies," replied Sam, "but they can scarcely hold us to be spies, especially as we shall be in the territory of a friendly neutral nation, where there cannot properly be a British camp at all." "Well, but mayn't they do it anyhow, just as they are a campin' there, anyhow ?" "Of course they may, but I do not think it likely.

In the first place we mustn't let them suspect us, and in the second, we must make use of what law there is if we should be arrested." "Well, but if it all failed, what then ?" asked Jake.
"Oh, shut up Jake," cried Billy Bowlegs.

"You're afeard, that's what's the matter with you." "Well," replied Sam "that is simply a risk that we have to run, like any other risk in war.

I told you all in advance that the expedition was a hazardous one." "Of course you did, an' what's more you didn't want Jake Elliott to come either," said Billy Bowlegs.
"Go into your hole, Jake, if you're scared," said Bob Sharp.
"Jake ain't scared, he's only bashful," drawled Sid Russell.
"I ain't afraid no more'n the rest of you," said Jake, "but you're all fools enough to run your heads into a noose." "What do you mean by that ?" asked Sam, looking up quickly from the map over which he had been poring.
"I mean just this," replied Jake, "that this here business 'll end in gettin' us into trouble that we wont git out of soon, an' I move we draw out'n it right now, afore its too late." Sam was on his feet in an instant.
[Illustration: "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, SIR ?"] "Do you know what you're saying sir ?" he cried.

"Do you understand who is master here?
Do you know that no motions are in order?
Let me tell you once for all that I will tolerate no further mutinous words from you.